"H-Help me up!" Hayato gasped, clutching Anshi's arm with the exaggerated flair of a tragic hero. "I… I can still run…!"
"No way, man, you're done!" Anshi urged, his voice laced with concern. "You can't keep going in this state!"
He'd always known Hayato's stamina was about as sturdy as a paper crane, but two hundred meters? That was barely a warm-up jog! Anshi's heart sank, picturing his friend's frail form crumbling under the strain.
"What?!" Hayato's eyes widened, his voice rising with theatrical shock. "How can you say Sensei's picking on me?! Dong Gang-sensei has no grudge against me! Why would he target me? Don't judge him with such a biased lens!"
Anshi blinked, utterly baffled. …I didn't say anything. His expression screamed confusion, a perfect mix of worry and exasperation.
From the sidelines, Dong Gang watched, his gorilla-like frame trembling with barely contained rage. This brat's faking it! he cursed inwardly. Collapsing in front of everyone? Does he have no shame?! But the sight of Hayato's dramatic sprawl—pale face, trembling limbs—made it hard to call his bluff without looking like the villain.
"Let go!" Hayato pushed Anshi away with a weak, defiant shove. "I said I can still run!"
Anshi barely released him before Hayato staggered forward, his legs wobbling like a newborn fawn. He took three shaky steps—then teetered, on the verge of another spectacular collapse.
"Oi, hold on!" Anshi lunged forward, catching him just in time. "Matsubara! Get over here and help!"
Ayumu Matsubara, ever the reliable sidekick, jogged over, his expression a mix of concern and confusion. He slung Hayato's trembling arm over his shoulder. "You okay, man?" he asked, his voice soft but worried.
"Hospital?!" Hayato yelped, his voice cracking with indignation. "That was ages ago! Besides, Dong Gang-sensei doesn't know about that, so don't you dare blame him!"
Ayumu's brow furrowed. …What did I even say?
"Um… hospital? What happened?" The timid girl from earlier—her name still a mystery to Hayato—edged closer, her voice barely above a whisper as she clasped her hands nervously.
"Oh, Hayato had heatstroke a few days ago and ended up in the hospital," Ayumu explained, scratching his head.
The class collectively paused, processing this bombshell. Heatstroke? In this chilly spring weather, where the air was more likely to give you goosebumps than a sunburn? Their eyes darted to Hayato, his pale complexion and shaky frame painting a picture of fragility that could rival a delicate anime protagonist.
"His health's always been kinda… delicate, hasn't it?"
"Look at him! He's paler than a ghost!"
"Oh no, what if Dong Gang-sensei's training leaves him with, like, permanent damage?!"
The students' whispers grew into a sympathetic chorus, their gazes softening as they watched Hayato's frail form. But a few voices tried to inject reason into the chaos.
"To be fair, Dong Gang-sensei's just substituting today. He wouldn't know about Hayato's condition…"
"What?!" Hayato spun toward Anshi, who still hadn't uttered a word, his eyes blazing with mock outrage. "How dare you say that about Sensei! 'Unprepared for class'? Showing up to substitute without researching our physical conditions and cranking up the training?! He's just busy! If he had time, I'm sure Dong Gang-sensei would've made perfect arrangements!"
Anshi's jaw dropped. I didn't say a single thing! He stared at Hayato, half-convinced his friend had gained the power to hear imaginary accusations.
The class exchanged glances, murmuring among themselves. Unprepared, huh? The seed of doubt was planted, and Dong Gang's authority wobbled like a poorly balanced spinning top. Hayato's dramatic performance had turned the tables, casting him as the frail, noble hero and Dong Gang as the clueless antagonist. For now, the stage was Hayato's—and the class was eating it up.
"Wow, that's just too irresponsible!" one student hissed.
In truth, substitute teaching—especially for something as straightforward as physical education—rarely involved the hassle of "lesson planning." But neglecting it was one thing; admitting it was a whole other blunder. Once Class F got hold of this juicy tidbit, it snowballed with the ferocity of a viral rumor: "Dong Gang didn't prepare his lesson!" → "Dong Gang's irresponsible!" → "Dong Gang's an irresponsible teacher!" → "Japan's education system is full of irresponsible teachers!"
And finally, the dramatic crescendo: "From the way he physically punished Kirisaki-kun, it's clear Japan's education system is doomed!"
Dong Gang's fists clenched, his gorilla-like frame trembling as if struck by lightning. The students' words stabbed at his back like a thousand tiny senbon needles. He, who had once wielded rhetoric to intimidate female classmates, now found himself cornered by the very weapon he'd brandished. How did it come to this?!
"Kirisaki—" His fists cracked with a clack, his heart screaming for a chance to bury Hayato Kirisaki right then and there.
Hayato, however, was the picture of nonchalance. Leaning weakly against Ayumu Matsubara, he glanced at his friend with a feigned look of surprise. "Apologize? Apologize for what? I don't think Dong Gang-sensei needs to apologize to me!"
The class erupted into chaos.
"That's right! After all this, shouldn't Sensei apologize to Kirisaki-kun?"
"I'm done! Let's start a petition and take this to the principal!"
"Will the higher-ups even listen to us?"
"Idiot, they might not listen to us, but if someone like Miyajima-senpai speaks up, they'll have to! Let's get her involved!"
"Tch, you just want an excuse to get close to Miyajima-senpai!"
"You beast! How dare you slander me! I-I just… cough, cough… don't you think Miyajima-senpai and Kirisaki-kun are super close…?"
"He's just trying to cozy up to Kirisaki-kun through this!"
The whispers grew louder, morphing from a rustling murmur into a crystal-clear cacophony. Dong Gang's ears burned as he caught every word. Miyajima? The name rang a bell—Sakura Miyajima, the Kendo Club's radiant star, a high-ranking beauty whose presence could command a room. Dong Gang's heart sank. His position at Hoshikawa High was already precarious, secured only by his potential to coach the Baseball Club into glory. But the Baseball Club, despite its recent growth, was a mere shadow compared to the Kendo Club's dominance. If he crossed Sakura Miyajima, he'd be toast—no, crushed toast.
As long as there's life, there's hope! Dong Gang gritted his teeth, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace, his facial muscles stiff as a wooden puppet's. "Kirisaki… I'm sorry. It was my fault for not considering everything thoroughly," he muttered, his voice dripping with reluctant defeat.
"Hm? What was that, Sensei?" Hayato asked, his weak smile radiating pure, infuriating innocence.
This brat's doing it on purpose! Dong Gang's heart tore itself apart, but he choked out the words again, each syllable a dagger to his pride. "I'm… sorry… it wasn't… intentional!"
Hayato's smile widened, a fragile yet cunning curve of his lips. The class held its breath, expecting him to brush it off with the same magnanimity he'd shown Sakito Yamamoto. But then—dramatic gasp—Hayato's head tilted, his body went limp, and he collapsed against Ayumu's shoulder, fainting with the grace of a tragic anime protagonist.
"Kirisaki!!" Anshi Takamura's voice cracked with panic. "Quick, get him to the Health Room!!"
"Okay, okay!" Ayumu scrambled to hoist Hayato onto his back, but despite Hayato's slender frame, his height made him a cumbersome load. Ayumu's knees buckled, nearly collapsing under the weight. Why is he so tall?!
"Useless!" Anshi snapped, exasperated. "Yamamoto, get over here and help!"
"On it!" Sakito Yamamoto leapt into action, driven by his desperate mission to protect his own dignity. Fifteen laps, fainting, whatever—I'll make this right! he vowed, rushing to support Hayato.
But then, a fragrant breeze swept across the field, carrying a voice as clear and commanding as a kendo strike. "Excuse me, what happened?" it asked, proper yet laced with concern.
Sakito turned, his jaw nearly hitting the ground. Whoa! Standing before them was none other than Sakura Miyajima—senpai extraordinaire, her sailor-style uniform pristine despite the chaotic scene. Her presence was like a sudden plot twist, her beauty and poise stealing the spotlight. Why's she here?! Sakito wondered. She wasn't in their PE class, and as a school committee member, she was probably just passing by on some errand. But her timing? Impeccable.
"Kirisaki fainted!" Anshi blurted, too frantic to care about the radiant senpai before him.
"How could this be?!" Sakura's eyes widened, her composure cracking with worry. In one swift motion, she grabbed Hayato's wrist, pulled him from Ayumu's struggling grasp, and hoisted him onto her back. His head rested against her fragrant shoulder, her hands firmly supporting him as she stood tall. "You all continue with class! I'll take Kirisaki-kun to the Health Room!"
The male students gaped, their minds short-circuiting. Miyajima-senpai… carrying Kirisaki-kun like that?! She's too cool! Too boyfriend-like! Her brisk strides carried her away, Hayato's limp form swaying slightly on her back, leaving the class in stunned silence.
Hayato, still feigning his faint, cracked one eye open ever so slightly. …Where did you come from?
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/Kazenova223
If you guys wanna check it out.